Burlingame Campground

Burlingame State Campground is a state-run campground in Charlestown, Rhode Island, with about 700 rustic campsites and 20 rustic cabins beside Watchaug Pond. There are no electric, water or sewer hookups at the sites. A site costs $18 a night for Rhode Island residents and $36 for non-residents, and you book through Reserve America. Through April 2027 a restroom rebuild means fewer sites and a closed campground beach.

What Burlingame Campground Is

RI DEM calls Burlingame one of Rhode Island's first campgrounds. It opened in 1934 and, in DEM's words, covers 3,100 acres and is one of the biggest campgrounds in the eastern United States. The campground sits next to Watchaug Pond and borders the Burlingame Management Area and the Kimball Wildlife Sanctuary, so the woods run right up to the camping loops. DEM notes it is near numerous ocean beaches, including Misquamicut, Charlestown Breachway and East Matunuck.

It is a rustic campground, and DEM says so plainly: utilities are not available. Bring what you need for a night without a plug, and plan your water and power before you arrive.

Campsites and Areas

DEM lists tent sites, trailer sites with no hookups, rustic cabins and group sites for organized groups. The campground is divided into named sections. DEM's restroom project names six of them: Mills Camp, Midpark North, Fish Camp, Legiontown, Midpark South and Main Camp. Main Camp is for tent camping only.

Each site's size and the longest camper it fits are listed on the Reserve America booking page. A site with a maximum length of 0 feet is a tent site. Only one camper, RV or trailer is allowed per site. DEM's interactive campsite map shows where every numbered site is; see the campground map page for how to use it.

What the Campground Has

DEM lists these amenities at Burlingame:

• Restrooms with shower facilities (the new buildings have coin-operated hot showers)
• A playground and an arcade
• A freshwater beach on Watchaug Pond (closed for the 2026 season, see below)
• A boat ramp and canoe rentals
• Hiking trails
• A camp store with camping supplies and souvenirs
• A septic dump station and water filling station

The Burlingame Nature Center, run by the RI State Parks naturalists, is inside the campground next to the playground. It is open to campers and has a small pond with native aquatic species. As of October 2026 DEM lists it as closed for now.

The 2026–2027 Restroom Construction

DEM is replacing the campground's old shower and restroom buildings with six new ones. Phase 1 rebuilt Mills Camp, Midpark North and Fish Camp, and those three buildings opened in June 2026. Phase 2 covers Legiontown, Midpark South and Main Camp, and DEM expects the whole $18 million project to finish by April 2027.

What that means for a stay:

• Fewer campsites are offered while the last three buildings go up.
• Weekday work runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with equipment noise and truck traffic. DEM schedules no work on weekends or holidays.
• The campground beach is closed for the season because it sits inside the Main Camp construction area.
• Check the map before you book. DEM publishes a 2026 site map showing which sites are open and which are next to a work zone.

For a swim, DEM points campers to the Burlingame Picnic Area on the other side of Watchaug Pond and to the Town of Charlestown's Ninigret Park, both a short drive away.

The new buildings are ADA compliant and each has a separate family room with a toilet, sink and changing table, with the shower in that room to be finished later.

Check-In, Check-Out and Quiet Hours

• Check-in: 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. No check-ins before 1 p.m., even if you pre-checked online. If you will arrive after 10 p.m., call the park for after-hours instructions.
• Check-out: 11 a.m. sharp. Anything left on the site after 11 a.m. may be removed.
• Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• Generators: only from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Commercial-grade and diesel generators are not allowed.

The person who booked must be at least 18, must be there to check in, and needs a government photo ID plus vehicle and camper registration. Only the people named on the reservation may stay on the site, up to six.

Pets at the Campground

Burlingame is one of three state campgrounds that take pets. You can bring up to two dogs or cats per site if they are friendly and have a current rabies vaccination, and you must carry the rabies certificate. Pets stay on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, may not be left alone, and you clean up after them. Visitors may not bring pets in. Full rules are on the dogs and pets page.

Fires, Firewood and Alcohol

Fires go only in the fire ring or grill on your site, must be watched the whole time, and should stay under 18 inches high. DEM asks campers not to bring firewood from out of state, because it can carry insect pests and tree diseases. Buy wood near the campground instead. Red flag warnings can bring a fire ban; check dem.ri.gov/wildfirestatus before you go. Alcohol is not allowed in Rhode Island state campgrounds, and neither are fireworks or weapons. See rules and regulations.

Visitors

Day visitors register at the campground office and pay $8 per vehicle per day. Each site can have up to two visitor vehicle passes at a time, and visitors must leave by 10 p.m.

Booking a Site

Reservations are made through Reserve America online or at 1-877-742-2675. DEM is choosing a new reservation provider for 2027, and all 2027 bookings are on hold until it announces the change. Minimum stays, cancellation rules and the full rate table are on the reservations page. For a cabin, see Burlingame cabins.

Questions about a stay go to the campground at (401) 409-1138 or BurlingameCampground@gmail.com.